Disciplinary Rules and Procedures
for Financial Transitionists®

SECTION 1INTRODUCTION

The Financial Transitionist® Institute (“FTI”) has adopted the Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct (“Code of Ethics”), which, along with these Disciplinary Rules and Procedures (“Disciplinary Rules”) (collectively, “FTI Rules”), establish and enforce the ethical and professional standards of conduct for Certified Financial Transitionist® (“CeFT®”) professionals and candidates.

The purpose of the FTI Rules is to ensure the integrity of the CeFT® mark and designation, warranting the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct to clients of CeFT® professionals and to the public. These Disciplinary Rules establish FTI’s procedures for enforcing and upholding the FTI Rules. The FTI Rules may be amended from time to time, as needed or at the discretion of FTI.
CeFT® professionals and candidates are sometimes referred to herein as “Respondent.”

SECTION 2PRIOR DESIGNATIONS

Certification as a Financial Transitionist® through FTI requires a candidate to first obtain a designation as a Certified Financial Planner (“CFP”), Certified Financial Analyst (“CFA”), Certified Investment Management Analyst (“CIMA”), or Certified Professional Accountant with Personal Financial Specialist designation ("CPA/PFS"). All CeFT® professionals and candidates must be and remain associated with and in good standing with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). Failure to maintain such prior designations or associations will result in sanctions, as outlined herein.

Notwithstanding the above, certain CeFT® professionals have obtained the designation despite the lack of a prior designation at the sole discretion of FTI in cases where the professional was enrolled in the designation program during or prior to March 2016.

SECTION 3DISCIPLINARY ACTION OF OTHER REGULATORY BODIES

3.1 Complaints, Investigations, or Actions by Other Regulatory Bodies

CeFT® professionals and candidates are subject to the disciplinary rules and guidelines of the SEC, FINRA, the CFP Board, the CFA Institute, CIMA and/or AICPA (with other regulatory or self-regulatory agencies, the “Regulatory Bodies”). Any complaint to or investigation by any Regulatory Body must be disclosed to FTI no later than ninety (90) calendar days following the Respondent’s receipt of the complaint or notice of the investigation. This Section specifically includes disclosure of any civil litigation in any court.

The Respondent is solely responsible for providing FTI with all relevant pleadings, orders, or findings related to any complaint or regulatory investigation by any Regulatory Body no later than ninety (90) calendar days from Respondent’s receipt or filing of such document.

Upon notification of a complaint before or investigation by any other Regulatory Body, FTI will automatically place Respondent on Administrative Watch (defined below). “Administrative Watch” status may include special inquiry into Respondent’s professional conduct, heightened review of Respondent’s records, interviews of Respondent’s supervisors and staff, and heightened review of Respondent’s use of the CeFT® mark or designation. Should FTI, through its Administrative Watch or otherwise, discover Respondent’s violations of the FTI Rules, FTI may institute disciplinary proceedings against Respondent independent of the other Regulatory Body’s action.

3.3 Final Findings of Other Regulatory Bodies
When FTI become aware that another Regulatory Body is investigating disciplinary violations by Respondent or hearing complaints against Respondent, FTI will defer to that Regulatory Body until such time as the pending litigation, arbitration, or investigation is resolved, other than to institute Administrative Watch, as set forth above.

3.4 Suspension or Revocation by Other Regulatory Bodies

The final decision, order, or finding of any Regulatory Body shall be informative to FTI with respect to FTI’s discipline of the Respondent. As such, and because a prior designation of CFP, CFA, CIMA, or CPA/PFS is required to obtain and maintain a CeFT® designation, any suspension of a Respondent by another Regulatory Body shall result in an automatic suspension of equal duration by FTI from using the CeFT® designation. Likewise, any revocation of a designation or bar from any association of a Respondent issued by a Regulatory Body will result in an automatic revocation of the CeFT® designation.

In the case of a suspension, FTI expressly retains the sole discretion to review the other Regulatory Body’s suspension and to reinstate Respondent’s CeFT® designation or otherwise modify the terms of the CeFT® suspension; however, this review is secondary to the automatic suspension outlined above and is in the sole discretion of FTI. Upon suspension by another Regulatory Body, the Respondent must recognize the equal suspension from using the CeFT® mark until FTI issues a decision rejecting or modifying the suspension.

If a Respondent receives a revocation or bar from a CFP, CFA, CIMA, or CPA/PFA designation, but later obtains one of the other designations, Respondent may apply for reinstitution of the CeFT® certification pursuant to reinstitution procedures below.

3.5 Conviction of a Crime

With the exception of minor traffic offenses, a CeFT® professional or candidate must provide FTI with a copy of any criminal complaint or conviction against him or her in any jurisdiction, including felonies and misdemeanors of every description, within thirty (30) days of issuance. FTI reserves the right to implement any sanctions it deems proper after a review of the criminal complaint or conviction against Respondent.

SECTION 4COMPLAINTS AND DISCIPLINE COMMITTEE

4.1 Formation, Function, and Jurisdiction of the CDC

The FTI Board shall appoint a Complaints and Discipline Committee (“CDC”), formed pursuant to and governed by the bylaws of FTI. The CDC is charged with enforcing the FTI Rules, investigating any alleged or suspected non-compliance thereof, and issuing and enforcing appropriate sanctions. The CDC shall have original jurisdiction over all matters involving the professional and relevant ethical conduct of CeFT® professionals and candidates. The CDC shall also have the authority to review and consider the findings of other Regulatory Bodies, as set forth above, and to use information obtained therefrom to make disciplinary decisions.

4.2 CDC Chair

FTI or its Board of Directors shall appoint a member of the CDC to serve a chairperson of the CDC (“CDC Chair”). The CDC Chair shall be responsible for appointing a Hearing Officer (defined below) for each proceeding before the CDC and for presiding over all meetings, hearings, or considerations of the CDC. The CDC Chair shall be tasked with communicating decisions of the CDC to FTI and its board of directors.

In coordination with the FTI board of directors and/or FTI legal counsel, the CDC Chair will review and consider all complaints or information indicating potential violation of FTI Rules for potential disciplinary action or investigation.

4.3 CDC Hearing Officer

For each disciplinary proceeding or investigation initiated, the CDC Chair shall appoint a hearing officer (“Hearing Officer”) selected from the members of the CDC other than the CDC Chair, who may not serve as Hearing Officer. Within ten (10) days of FTI’s receipt of Respondent’s responsive pleading or any motion, FTI will provide all relevant pleadings, submissions, motions, and things to the Hearing Officer for review.

Based upon the documents and things filed during the course of the investigation or proceeding, the Hearing Officer will make a preliminary determination of the need for sanctions, as outlined below. The Hearing Officer will then present a written summary of findings and a recommendation for sanctions, dismissal, or further action to the CDC.

The Hearing Officer shall be the point person for all matters and communications related to the proceeding or investigation assigned to him or her.

In the case of a Motion for Reconsideration, as set forth in Section 11, below, the CDC Chair shall appoint a different Hearing Officer to hear the Motion for Reconsideration.

4.4 Conflicts of Interest

CDC members, the CDC Chair, and the Hearing Officer shall avoid any appearance of conflicted interest or impropriety. No CDC member, CDC Chair, or Hearing Officer shall participate in any proceeding in which that individual, a member of his/her immediate family, or a member of his/her firm has any identifiable interest.

SECTION 5PROCEEDINGS

5.1 Initiation of Disciplinary Proceedings or Investigation

Upon a decision of the FTI Board of Directors, FTI legal counsel, and/or the CDC Chair to initiate disciplinary proceedings or a disciplinary investigation, FTI will prepare a formal Complaint or Notice of Investigation addressed to the subject CeFT® professional or candidate. FTI will then serve the Complaint or Notice of Investigation on the Respondent via certified U.S. Mail to Respondent’s last known address.

5.2 Hearing on the Papers

The Hearing Officer shall make disciplinary recommendations in connection with the FTI Rules solely on the pleadings, submissions, motions, and disclosures presented. Respondent shall not be afforded an in-person, virtual, or telephonic hearing.

5.3 Rules of Procedure and Evidence; Standard of Proof

Rules of procedure and evidence may be informative to the Hearing Officer and the CDC, but are not binding. The Hearing Officer and the CDC will employ a preponderance of the evidence standard of proof.

5.4 Evidence Considered

The Hearing Officer will receive and consider the Complaint or Notice of Investigation, Answer, and any evidence attached thereto in support of any party’s case, as well as any motions or submissions duly made by either the Respondent or FTI during the pendency of the proceeding or investigation. The Hearing Officer will not consider outside sources of information, except as disclosed and agreed to by all parties, with the exception of the Respondent’s past disciplinary history, if any, by FTI or any other Regulatory Body or court of law. Once the Hearing Officer has ruled on any given motion, that motion will not be considered by the CDC, except as directed by the CDC Chair.

5.5 Hearing Officer’s Recommendation to the CDC

At a regular meeting of the CDC, or otherwise as circumstances require, the Hearing Officer will present findings of fact and recommendations to the CDC regarding the investigation or proceeding over which he or she presides. After due consideration and discussion of the Hearing Officer’s recommendations, and incorporating any revisions deemed necessary by the CDC members, the CDC shall vote to approve or decline the recommendations, includeinstitution of any recommended sanctions. Recommendations are approved or declined with a majority vote of a quorum of CDC members. The CDC Chair shall not vote unless needed to act as a tie-breaker.

Upon approval of the Hearing Officer’s recommendations or revised recommendations, the CDC Chair shall coordinate the finalization and drafting of the disciplinary order or decision.

If a Hearing Officer’s recommendations are declined by the CDC, the CDC Chair shall review the merits of the investigation or proceeding, including the written findings of fact and recommendations of the Hearing Officer, and shall either (a) approve the Hearing Officer’s recommendations on behalf of the CDC, or (b) remand the investigation or proceeding to another CDC member, who will then serve as Hearing Officer for reconsideration of the investigation or proceeding.

5.6 Timeliness

The CDC shall conduct issue an order or decision with respect to any proceeding or investigation as expeditiously as reasonably practicable.

SECTION 6GROUNDS FOR DISCIPLINE OR INVESTIGATION

In addition to the disciplinary actions of other Regulatory Bodies or courts of law, as outlined in Section 3, violation of the FTI Rules by a CeFT® professional or candidate, individually or in concert with others, including, but in no way limited to, acts or omissions that constitute the following violations, shall constitute grounds for discipline and/or investigation, whether or not the act or omission occurred in the course of a client relationship:

(a) Violation of any of the principles set forth in the Code of Ethics;

(b) Failure to maintain, in good standing, a required prior designation, as set forth in Section 2, or to remain in good standing with any Regulatory Body.

(c) Violation of the laws of any State, of the United States or of any jurisdiction of any other country. Conviction in a criminal proceeding or liability in a civil action shall not be prerequisite to the institution of disciplinary proceedings hereunder, and acquittal or a finding of no liability shall not bar a disciplinary action hereunder;

(d) Any act or omission that is the proper basis for discipline by any Regulatory Body or governing body. No action or finding by any of these Regulatory Bodies shall be prerequisite to the institution of disciplinary proceedings by FTI, and dismissal of charges or lack of investigation by any Regulatory Body shall not necessarily bar a disciplinary action by FTI;

(e) Violation of these Disciplinary Rules, the FTI Rules, or any order of discipline by FTI, the CDC, or any Regulatory Body;

(f) Failure to respond fully, completely, timely, and honestly to any request by FTI, the CDC, or a Hearing Officer, or obstruction of any investigation, administration, or proceeding by FTI, the CDC, or a Hearing Officer;

(g) Making, communicating, or corroborating any false or misleading statement with disregard for its truth to the FTI, the CDC, a Hearing Officer, or any other person or body tasked with the oversight of CeFT® professionals and candidates.

SECTION 7FORMS OF DISCIPLINE

After investigation and/or hearing, and upon determination of the merits of the allegations of violations against the Respondent, the CDC may recommend:

7.1 Dismissal

The CDC may determine that no grounds for discipline have been established. In such case, the CDC will dismiss the matter.

7.2 Non-Public Cautionary Letter

Where no cause for further action can be found, the CDC may dismiss the proceeding or investigation, but may issue a cautionary letter to Respondent to assist the Respondent in avoiding further allegations of misconduct. Such a letter shall not be publicly available, and shall not be considered a disciplinary action or rebuke against the Respondent.

7.3 CeFT® Suspension

The CDC may suspend a Respondent from utilizing the CeFT® mark or designation for a specified period of time, not to exceed three (3) years. In the event of a suspension, FTI must publish the fact of the suspension together with identification of the Respondent in a press release, or in such other form of publicity as is selected by the CDC, or to inform other Regulatory Bodies of the suspension. Respondents receiving a suspension may qualify for reinstatement to use the CeFT® mark or designation by written approval signed by the CDC Chair.

7.4 CeFT® Revocation

The CDC may permanently revoke or bar the Respondent’s right to use the CeFT® mark and designation. In the event of a permanent revocation it shall be standard procedure to publish the fact of the revocation together with identification of the Respondent in a press release, or in such other form of publicity as is selected by the CDC, or to inform other Regulatory Bodies of the revocation or bar.

7.5 Action upon Suspension or Revocation

Upon entry of an order of revocation or suspension, the Respondent shall immediately terminate any use of the CeFT® mark and designation in all facets of business, including advertising, business cards, websites, etc. Failure to comply with a suspension will result in an automatic revocation of CeFT® certification.

7.6 Voluntary Relinquishment

Voluntary relinquishment of a Respondent’s CeFT® mark or designation shall not take effect until after the CDC issues its final order, decision, or findings in any investigation or proceeding. As such, even if the Respondent voluntarily relinquishes his/her CeFT® certification, the Hearing Officer, CDC, and FTI retain jurisdiction over the Respondent until any investigation or proceeding concludes, as determined by the CDC.

SECTION 8PLEADINGS AND SUBMISSIONS

8.1 Complaint or Notice of Investigation

FTI shall prepare a written Complaint or Notice of Investigation outlining the allegations against the Respondent and provide the Complaint or Notice of Investigation to the Respondent by certified U.S. mail to the Respondent’s last known address. Additional copies of the Complaint or Notice of Investigation may be provided as a courtesy by any other means of correspondence at the discretion of FTI. A Copy of the Complaint or Notice of Investigation shall be included with the materials provided to the Hearing Officer in advance of the hearing. The Complaint or Notice of Investigation shall reasonably set forth the grounds for discipline with which the Respondent is charged and the conduct or omission that gave rise to those charges. (continued)

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